SEATTLE — This year marks the 70th anniversary for one of Seattle’s oldest community groups, the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team.
For 70 years, the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team has marched to its own beat.
"This team is about empowering women, well girls and women, and having a voice," said Isabelle Gonn, the director of the Seattle Chinese Girls Community Drill Team.
This group was started in 1952 by Seattle Chinese-American restaurateur and politician Ruby Chow.
"The Chinese girls at that time, did not have a place to you know go outside of their homes, and do other activities, and so she created a safe place for the girls to come down and form a community," said Gonn.
This group is the only Chinese women warrior-inspired drill team in the country. It's known for its intricate marching formations, and one-of-kind uniforms, weighing eight pounds, with 8,000 hand sewed beads.
"Just being here and seeing girls that look like you to me was a breath of fresh air when I came.” said Celina Tran, the captain of the drill team.
She, like many other members, come from a long line of girls and women in their families that marched for this team over the past 7 decades.
"It makes you realize that there's not one way to be Chinese and one way to be Asian because even though we all share the same ethnicity we come from a lot of background and different families," said Tran.
Tran added that she's proud to carry on the legacy for years to come.
"There's a need or a want to always showcase our culture be a part of something bigger I think we'll always be there," said Tran.
The drill team is comprised of about 30 girls, ages 11 to 19 years old. If you’re interested in participating or volunteering with the team, you’re asked to email them at chinesedrillteam@gmail.com.